Must Fight for First!

Once the rules were announced, experts from all directions sprang into motion. The entrances to the secret realm became intensely sought after, packed to bursting every day. In an instant, the Great Dao Rankings became a universally recognized ledger of the Dao in the eyes of countless cultivators. It was fair and honest: however many squares one walked was however many were recorded. It carried no danger, offered comprehension of the Great Dao, and required no combat—everything depended solely on one's enlightenment in the Dao. While this did not directly measure combat prowess, in practice, it truly reflected it. Those weak in combat strength could hardly walk far. From the east, south, west, and north, cultivators swarmed in from the eastern region. They displayed none of the sorrow or helplessness that usually followed the fall of countless experts. Instead, their blood boiled with excitement, and every one of them wished they could enter the Myriad Heavens Dao Arena immediately to debate the Dao across the heavens and make a name for themselves throughout the world! Making a name was by no means a bad thing. With fame came resources, came the Great Dao, and came countless other benefits. Countless people stepped into the Myriad Heavens Dao Arena clutching their dreams. Here, some faded into the crowd, while others soared into the heavens! The Great Dao Rankings constantly shifted as well. Previously, Sovereign Xuantian, a seventh-rank Sovereign, had taken first place merely by walking 6,200 squares. Now, numerous seventh ranks and even a portion of eighth ranks entered the Myriad Heavens Dao Arena incognito to walk the Dao Chessboard. Seven thousand squares was no longer an insurmountable chasm. Yet no one had reached eight thousand squares, which left countless cultivators feeling somewhat helpless. On the current Great Dao Rankings, there was even an eighth-rank expert who had openly used his real name, but he ranked toward the back, having barely crossed the 7,000-square mark. And he was considered quite a top-tier eighth-rank Sovereign! It was easy to imagine that those ahead of him were likely top eighth ranks who preferred to remain anonymous, yet still, none of them had reached eight thousand squares. Eight thousand squares had become a barrier for many eighth ranks—indeed, a barrier for everyone. It seemed that even after reaching the eighth rank, present-day cultivators still could not attain that height. ... The Myriad Heavens Dao Arena. By now, this place had become the liveliest location in the entire Chaos. Vast numbers of Sovereigns gathered here. Since no one knew one another's true identity, they acted without scruples. Some even set up stalls to conduct business, and no one cared or drove them away. So long as you dared to conclude transactions offline, Li Hao would not meddle in your affairs. Others came specifically to challenge Dao Chess, while still others participated in Dao discussion assemblies among various small circles. Larger assemblies required genuine capability; without real skill, no one dared attend! At the center of the secret realm, beneath Dao Chess, lay a public Great Dao Plaza. Here, anyone could expound their Dao openly. In recent days, only a single seventh-rank Sovereign had stepped up to debate the Dao. As a result, his Dao heart had nearly been shattered by critiques, his Great Dao belittled as utterly worthless. Though he ultimately weathered the crisis and even gained some enlightenment, this incident ensured that unless blessed with immense perseverance and absolute confidence, no one dared lecture lightly on the Great Dao Plaza. Presently, these cultivators were like youths addicted to games. Normally, they had almost nothing to do. Some had idled away tens or hundreds of thousands of years, yet they never dared roam randomly because the Chaos was far too perilous. The Myriad Heavens Dao Arena established by Li Hao had practically become their permanent residence. This gave Li Hao a bit of a headache. There were simply too many people! His original plan had been to accommodate a transient crowd, expecting that maintaining a constant presence of a thousand Sovereigns in the grand secret realm would be the upper limit. Instead, legions of Sovereigns arrived... and refused to leave! Indeed, once they arrived, they stayed. In Li Hao's eyes, time was exceedingly precious, but to Sovereigns, time was cheap. Since they were here and found the place so fascinating, how could it be called debating the Dao without staying for several years? How vast was the Chaos? Boundlessly vast! Even in the East alone, the worlds large and small numbered over ten thousand. No one knew how many Sovereigns existed—perhaps tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands... And it was not only the East; Sovereigns from the other three directions were arriving as well. Consequently, the resident Sovereigns in the core secret realm already exceeded ten thousand! It was unimaginable! If so many Sovereigns truly gathered in one place and struck in unison, let alone a ninth-rank Sovereign, an eighth rank would certainly be pulverized into dust. Many ants can bite an elephant to death. Against one or two hundred low-rank Sovereigns, an eighth-rank Sovereign felt no fear and could slaughter them all. But when the numbers reached thousands, tens of thousands... dense and endless, any Sovereign's scalp would tingle with dread. ... On this day. Among the thousands of passages on the realm's periphery, one passage trembled slightly. ... Beneath the secret realm. Li Hao was still filling his minor realms. By now, two thousand realms were nearly fully perfected, and the energy obtained from the Samsara domain was virtually exhausted. Right at this moment, Li Hao snapped his eyes open. The secret realm was reflected in his gaze. Skimming past the Sovereigns, his eyes settled on a figure who had just stepped out of a spatial passage. Li Hao observed closely, his gaze flickering slightly. Is this... an overlord from one of the regions? He was not very familiar with the various overlords, but the moment this person entered, the River of Time felt as if it were overstrained. If this had not been merely an avatar, a mental construct, it might have caused the river to collapse outright. This person's strength was exceedingly formidable! At this moment, with his Great Dao merged into the Chaos, the divine light in Li Hao's eyes intensified. He suddenly peered toward that person! Piercing through illusion! ... Within the secret realm. The person who had just exited the passage suddenly glanced toward the ground, divine light flashing in his eyes as well. Soon, a faint smile played upon his lips, and his mouth moved slightly: "A visitor is a guest. Fellow Daoist Haoyue, though this is your domain, isn't prying into another's privacy somewhat inappropriate?" ... Li Hao's eyes shifted. The instant he merged with the Chaos, he had seen boundless darkness, as though enshrouding everything. Realization dawned upon him, accompanied by a wave of surprise, and he quickly transmitted his voice: "I did not expect Sovereign Huntian to grace us with his presence from afar. Pardon my lack of hospitality!" Huntian! It had to be him. Li Hao had not anticipated that the currently recognized foremost expert of the Chaos would actually come. Incredible! Fortunately, it was not his true body. Otherwise... Li Hao would have had to flee. Yes, it would be far too dangerous. Whether a true or false ninth rank, such a figure far surpassed ordinary eighth-rank Sovereigns! Far too troublesome to deal with. "I heard that you, Fellow Daoist, are willing to debate the Dao of Time and rules with those who reach eight thousand squares. I developed some interest. You... wouldn't drive a guest away, would you?" "How could I!" Though wary, Li Hao remained serene: "A visitor is a guest. As Senior said, my Dao arena is open to the world, welcoming all rivers into the sea. What is more... those who hear the Dao first are our seniors; for Senior, esteemed as a ninth rank, to come here to debate the Dao confers immense honor upon this junior. How would I dare drive you away...?" "Carry on with your business!" The Daoist smiled faintly: "I shall look around first and get accustomed to it. Once I finish walking the Dao Chessboard and cross eight thousand squares, we can speak. Otherwise... Fellow Daoist Haoyue might look down on me, thinking I came to take advantage." Li Hao said no more, merely smiling: "Then please make yourself at home, Senior!" He found nothing amiss with this. As a regional overlord and the Chaos's foremost expert, Huntian naturally possessed his own magnanimity. One could never reach his current height through brute force alone. If he wished to abide by the rules, all the better. That way, Li Hao could observe a thing or two as well. ... Just then, the secret realm trembled once more. Daoist Huntian had not revealed his true appearance, yet he turned back to glance at the entrance. While others sensed nothing, he felt it: at that moment, a diminutive figure appeared. With a single glance, Daoist Huntian saw through the disguise. "Oh?" He was somewhat surprised, yet not entirely so; it seemed natural for her to come as well. The little girl who had just exited the passage tilted her head, piercing through the Daoist's disguise not far away in an instant. A sweet smile surfaced on her face: "Huntian, long time no see!" Her appearance was tender and young, but her voice was remarkably mature and laced with amusement. Huntian had actually come as well! How intriguing! And today, as if by appointment, just as the two faced each other, the secret realm trembled again. In their eyes, the roar of a colossal dragon seemed to resound, and in the next instant, a burly, towering figure emerged. Extremely massive! The newcomer appeared with cold glints in his eyes, sweeping his gaze across the surroundings. Spotting the little girl and the middle-aged Daoist, his eyes flickered, and he gave a slight nod without saying anything. Long Zhan! Daoist Huntian looked toward him, and Sovereign Chunqiu looked at Long Zhan as well. This overlord of the dragon race and Chaos beasts, who had risen from the Four Regions, might keep a low profile, but no one underestimated him. For good reason: he had routed Samsara with ease and slain an eighth-rank Sovereign right before Samsara's eyes... That was pure strength! Neo Martial and Silver Moon dominated the East, yet stayed away from the Four Regions, having been driven out by him. That was strength. They had met in the past. Having reached this level, unlike a youth like Li Hao, they were all familiar with one another. Even if not close friends, they recognized each other. Upon Long Zhan's arrival, quite a few figures followed behind him, arriving one after another. They could not see through anything. Experts possessed mutual intuition that ordinary Sovereigns lacked. Long Zhan did not intend to chat; instead, he looked toward the Dao Chessboard hovering above the Great Dao Plaza. He knew of Dao Chess, but had never actually walked it. Now, he felt a bit curious. Right then, an extraordinarily domineering aura surged into the realm, drawing the attention of other cultivators within, who turned their heads one after another! Multiple phantom silhouettes materialized—not just one or two, but a whole crowd. It was as if some Dao master had brought the Sovereigns of an entire realm out for an excursion. The leading figure appeared, domineering without equal! At this moment, some cultivators had a slight suspicion: acting so blatantly within the Myriad Heavens Realm, they could not help but associate him with one person. The Human King! Of course, whether it was him was not certain, but entering with such arrogance and brazen dominance meant he was certainly no ordinary cultivator if not the Human King. ... Beneath the secret realm, Li Hao shook his head slightly. So many people arrived! Did they plan this together? When they did not come, not a single one showed up; when they did, they all arrived at once. Was it telepathy or what? The Human King was closest, yet arrived last. Had he sensed something and deliberately come last? By the way, did no one come from the Five Elements side? Li Hao wondered. Had they not arrived in time, or were they unwilling to come, or something else...? Doubts lingered in his mind, but he did not dwell on them. Beside him, someone else sensed something. Wanhua, having just exited seclusion, was drenched in cold sweat, his face pale and nervous as he looked at Li Hao: "Dao Lord... things seem... not good!" Controlling the Myriad Dao Illusion, he had sensed changes. Several entrances to the secret realm had instantly severed contact! Li Hao nodded: "I know. Several peak experts have arrived." "Huntian, Chunqiu, the Human King, and Long Zhan are all here." Wanhua's expression changed abruptly! They had come? This... was terrifying. Even when he was at the eighth rank previously, those people were towering figures he could only look up to, especially overlords like Huntian and Chunqiu, whom he could not even hope to reach. Though he had now stepped into the eighth rank, those figures remained far out of his league. "This..." "It is fine. They are all merely avatars... Oh, except the Human King." Li Hao smiled. "Mental constructs of avatars aren't exceedingly strong; only their Dao comprehension remains. Even if their actual avatar bodies arrived, they would possess at most the strength of an ordinary eighth rank. No need to worry!" Suppressing the panic in his heart, Wanhua hesitated before asking, "Did they come... for the rules the Dao Lord mentioned?" "Yes." Wanhua was secretly astonished. Was that really necessary? They all came at once. Terrifying! Li Hao said no more and resumed opening minor realms. Currently, countless Sovereigns walked the Dao Chessboard, and the Dao insights from the chessboard were transmitted back to Li Hao, deepening his comprehension of the Great Dao considerably of late. He opened realm after realm, though they were merely empty realms without energy infused yet. He was opening his three-thousandth realm. Only after establishing three thousand realms would Li Hao truly possess the power to contend with top eighth ranks. Three thousand realms would at least rival five thousand Great Daos, wouldn't they? Only then could he truly establish a foothold in the Chaos. He might still be slightly inferior to Samsara, but he would rank just behind this group of people. Li Hao continued to forge his minor realms, paying no heed to the outside. ... Meanwhile, inside the secret realm. The Human King had indeed arrived, making little effort to conceal himself. He sensed several peak existences, but did not care! So what? The Human King had always been brazen! Always had been. Now, he burst into loud, insolent laughter. His arrogance was measured—if their true bodies had arrived, he would have laid low; but since they were not true bodies, what was there to fear? If your true bodies come, I'll just run! "Walking the Great Dao Chessboard, and first place is only at 7,400 squares? Which useless piece of trash walked that?" "..." A commotion rippled through the crowd. Damn it, this man had to be the Human King! Except for him, no one dared say such words—even if someone dared, they would not say it. This fellow truly acted without restraint. Utterly outrageous! Behind him, the Supreme and the others kept their distance. This fellow... his mouth was too big. He had not been quite this overbearing in the past, but once no one could rein him in and he became the boss of Neo Martial, he became utterly shameless and wild! Looking at Dao Chess, the Human King chuckled: "This king shall walk the Dao Chessboard today as well, without concealing my name..." At this point, a thought struck him, and he added: "However, walking alone is boring. I'm a man who likes excitement. Friends, does anyone care to walk together?" Walking alone, going first—if he scored low, it would be humiliating. Once boasting was done, backing down was hard! Going first was generally the villain's job, while protagonists held down the fort. Realizing this, the Human King felt it better to drag several people along to test the waters and plan accordingly. Breakthroughs mid-battle were his specialty! Worst-case scenario, he would rely on brute strength! They were merely avatar mental constructs, whereas he was a true body's mental construct. If it came down to brute force, he had confidence he could walk further. Although that had little meaning for improving his Dao, unless someone surpassed him, he would not bother doing so. Still, face could not be lost! Nobody responded to him. The Human King chuckled and cast a playful glance at several figures in the crowd: "Walking together and having some fun, why not? Since you've already come, I count as half a host. Refusing to give me any face... isn't quite polite, is it?" Daoist Huntian looked at the Human King. After a pause, he smiled, floated into the air, and said calmly: "Human King, this is a place for debating the Dao. Having come here, striving for dominance and petty rivalries is unnecessary..." The Human King sneered: "The Martial Dao must fight and contend!" With these words, the auras of the Neo Martial cultivators all around surged. The Human King became solemn and stern: "Nothing cannot be fought for! In this Chaos, in this universe, who isn't struggling to cross over? If you don't fight, and I don't fight, would the Chaos still be as it is today? Fight for a path to survive, fight for a way to live!" "What nonsense about 'the Great Dao does not contend'!" The Human King's aura was awe-inspiring: "The Martial Dao is built on contention! The Dao must be fought for! If you don't fight, get lost! I despise hypocrites who preach one thing and practice another. Having come here, who dares say they do not strive?" Daoist Huntian froze, gave a slight nod, and said no more. The Martial Dao must contend! Did one fight? Of course! If one did not fight, why dominate a region? Why seek to unify the Chaos? The Human King's words were not wrong. However, Huntian felt one did not need to contend for everything. Was fighting for a hollow name the true goal? Still, some things needed no deep argument. At that moment, another figure floated up, and a playful giggle drifted over: "Well said, 'the Martial Dao must contend'! I do not cultivate martial arts, however. My thought is that Time must be contended for! Now someone cultivates Time. To us cultivators, Time is the greatest enemy. Immortality, indestructible existence, eternal preservation... these are worth fighting for! They say the passing years are ruthless. Human King, do you believe the Martial Dao can contend against Time?" The Human King seemed not to understand, or understood and did not care. He laughed heartily: "I use the Martial Dao to break ten thousand Daos! No matter how formidable Time is, it is merely one Dao! Even if one attains immortality, so what? Even if one is indestructible, so what? A rock lives longer than a mortal, even longer than countless cultivators, but what of it? Life should be splendid; fireworks shine only when burning brilliantly!" The Human King laughed loudly: "Cultivating Time, chasing Time—are you Time itself? In the boundless expanse of Time, do you possess fame? Does anyone remember you? Those beside you age, sicken, and die, their lifespans exhausted. Even if you live alone for eternity, what of it?" They had yet to enter Dao Chess; this exchange was already a clash of Daos! Huntian and Chunqiu had both revealed themselves. Some Sovereigns in the arena seemed to recognize their voices and deduced their identities, trembling with sheer excitement! This... was unbelievable! Had the Myriad Heavens Dao Arena gone mad?! It had actually drawn these pinnacle cultivators! And the Human King, with merely "the Martial Dao must contend," though possibly the weakest among them, displayed a sharp, peerless demeanor, revealing his unmatched grandeur before everyone for the first time. What I pursue is a brilliant flash of glory! What I want is for the entire Chaos to know my name. As long as breath remains in my body, I will fight to the end, contend to the end, and leave behind an undying legend across eternity! Unifying heaven and earth or the Great Dao of Chaos meant nothing to him. All he cared about was... letting this Chaos remember him! Remember my name—I am Fang Ping! Fang Ping, the Human King, King of the Martial Dao! At this moment, Long Zhan rose into the air, calm and composed: "Contention—I agree! All things must fight. No one is born noble; no one is born a sovereign ruler. However, fighting requires strength. Contending without strength is mere recklessness! Human King, which kind do you think you are?" The Human King smiled: "Which kind am I? I am... a prisoner struggling against adversity!" Long Zhan paused, not replying. The Human King proclaimed: "I have fought hundreds of battles without defeat! I rose from among the common mortals; I was not born noble. My life may be short, but I have weathered tides and storms! I have walked between life and death. I fight, and I defend! My Neo Martial rose from adversity, slaughtering through the heavens to fight for a future, to fight for peerless glory! Even if my strength falls short, even if you bite me, I'll make you spit three pints of blood!" "Fight!" Around them, phantom figures suddenly bellowed in unison! Those Neo Martial cultivators paid no heed to the gazes of others, letting out thunderous shouts. The Human King must fight! The Martial Dao must fight! Debating the Dao? What Dao was there to debate? In the Human King's eyes, my Dao is right here! Long Zhan was silent, then said: "Then let me ask you: you say all things in heaven and earth must fight. Must the Sovereigns of your Neo Martial fight as well? You are the king of Neo Martial, and they are your subordinates; they too should fight. Overthrowing you and taking your throne is also fighting... How do you handle that?" The Human King laughed again: "If their skills surpass mine, why shouldn't I accept it? Just as you said, if your strength falls short and you are beaten to death, you cannot complain! Who in this world will pity you? Who will sympathize with you? Besides... these men are my brothers, my kin!" The Human King laughed heartily: "Whether I am the boss or they are the boss, what does it matter? Competition has healthy rivalry and malicious rivalry. Healthy rivalry is my Neo Martial; malicious rivalry is what you do! Taking invasion and hegemony as your goal—that is malicious!" Long Zhan replied coldly: "Malicious? Do you know how many of the Chaos race are enslaved in this Chaos, reduced to thralls struggling to survive? In your eyes, is accepting fate the non-malicious path?" The Human King roared: "Why accept fate? Status is won through fighting! I never said you shouldn't fight or couldn't fight! Just fight with real blades and spears! What is the point of scheming against this person and calculating against that one? If this king had your strength, I would have charged out across the four directions long ago. Whoever dared enslave my clansmen, I would slaughter them all!" "Long Zhan, you are cowardly yourself. Scheming too much has cost you your backbone! Now you quibble with me over fighting versus not fighting—how laughable! If you have the ability, just kill your enemies!" "Whoever enslaves my kin dies!" "Whoever denies me status dies!" "Whoever blocks my rise dies!" "Even if subordinates of Huntian, Chunqiu, or Five Elements enslave them, make them hand my kin over! If they refuse, fight to the death! Fighting for the clan—anyone helping outsiders at such a time is a traitor, a betrayer of the race, and must be slain! Take that Pengcheng, an eighth-rank Sovereign and an expert of the Chaos race, who dared help outsiders invade my East. Even if I risk my life, I'll butcher him, slaughter him, and intimidate the four corners of the Chaos!" "..." As soon as these words fell, Feng Yan and the others who had accompanied Long Zhan felt their blood boil. Yes, that was how it should be. Just kill them! They had not thought much of Pengcheng before, but reflecting on it now, yes—he was of the Chaos race, yet he helped Huntian and Samsara! One must remember that the East was also part of the Four Regions' domain. Didn't such a traitor deserve death? Kill him! "..." Long Zhan fell silent. Daoist Huntian was at a loss for words, then chuckled: "Yet Pengcheng is also a living being with his own choices... Why can't he choose the path he likes? Why must he be constrained by others? Why must he fight for strangers..." The Human King smiled: "True enough, but... racial interests are sometimes ruthless and paramount! Of course, if Long Zhan doesn't care, doesn't fight for the Chaos race, and merely seeks hegemony, then he has no face to talk about racial interests. But if it is for the entire Chaos race, then Pengcheng is a beneficiary. Even if he serves Huntian, at a critical moment when the race rises, he must return to serve. If he doesn't... kill him! Traitors deserve death far more than enemies!" "..." This guy's entire rhetoric was kill, kill, kill. Sovereign Huntian felt that if allowed to keep speaking, before the clash of Great Daos even began, the Human King might incite the Chaos race into declaring war against him. Damn it! This fellow really had a silver tongue. Young, yet full of words. At this moment, Long Zhan was deep in thought. He had come to discuss the rules of Time, but had been shaken. It was not that the Human King's words were truly transcendent, but... they struck right at the core of his heart. I fight for the rise of my race! I fight to change the destiny of the Chaos race so they no longer wander generation after generation, no longer serve as slaves to humans generation after generation. Racial interests stand above all. You may refrain from contributing, but at this crucial juncture, you must never stab us in the back! Take Pengcheng: you can serve Huntian, but along the path of our Chaos race's rise, you must never help Huntian oppose our race. Otherwise... you are a traitor to the race. There were many such Chaos beasts scattered across the Chaos. Some were strong, some weak, some voluntarily served factions, some involuntarily... All these Chaos beasts could be rallied. To strengthen the power of our Chaos race! After pondering for a long while, Long Zhan suddenly spoke: "I have learned much!" "..." Sovereign Huntian's head ached, knowing Long Zhan had been influenced. Not by the Human King's Dao, but... the Human King, while appearing reckless, was a shrewd creature. Speaking in tongues suited to whoever he addressed, his words resonated deeply with Long Zhan's heart. Even if someone usually thought this, they would not dare say it to Long Zhan this way. When the Human King put it like that... Long Zhan would take it to heart. Truly a troublemaker! His reputation as the Chaos's stirrer of strife and wandering ruffian was well earned. Just then, Sovereign Chunqiu giggled: "By that logic, does the same apply to the demon race? In the Human King's eyes, those born of my demon race needn't be constrained by humans either?" The Human King smiled: "Of course! Aren't all living beings the same? Naturally, your demon race isn't nearly so miserable, so why meddle? The demon race has plenty of world masters and gets along decently, doesn't it?" Chunqiu smiled: "Are you worried that because Neo Martial has too many demons, I might do something?" The Human King scoffed: "Would you dare? I admit my strength might not match yours, but in a battle to the death—don't look at how you've lived countless years as an old demoness—I have fought from weakness to this day, surviving ten thousand battles, always leading the charge, reversing death into victory, never suffering a single defeat! Do you... want to test it?" "I would actually like to try!" Sovereign Chunqiu snorted. What big words! Surviving ten thousand battles without dying? Then I'll see you dead! At this moment, a soft cough sounded: "Senior experts, this is the Myriad Heavens Dao Arena, a place for debating the Dao... A verbal debate of the Dao suffices; harming goodwill would be quite inappropriate..." With that, the voice faded. It was Li Hao. Li Hao felt helpless. He had listened to the Human King's words and, to be honest, found himself agreeing and even feeling stirred. However... don't stir up trouble here. Constantly picking fights—these people were not weaklings. If truly provoked into attacking... it would be troublesome. He could flee, but his arena had only just been established; please don't wreck it. ... Inside the secret realm, everyone else remained dead silent, immensely thrilled. The Human King, Long Zhan, Huntian, Chunqiu... And now the Silver Moon King had spoken too. It could be said that aside from the Five Elements overlord, the pinnacle figures of the entire Chaos were gathered here. Their verbal clash felt as exhilarating as an epic battle. The Human King's words held immense power. The Martial Dao must fight! All things must fight! To ordinary cultivators, these words struck home. None of them wished to be ordinary; any Sovereign was extraordinary in their own right, yet overshadowed by more dazzling beings... how could they stand out? The Chaos ultimately could not illuminate all these countless lamps! They all wanted to contend, but... their strength did not allow it. Then Sovereign Huntian spoke: "I agree with some of the Human King's words. However... some are a bit extreme, suitable only as words of encouragement. Everyone's existence has its own value; fighting... is not necessarily..." The Human King interrupted: "Enough, I won't argue this with you—that's what not fighting means! When encountering someone who disagrees with you, there is only one response: shut up! Oh, two phrases: shut up, and you're right!" "I don't contend over everything either. For instance, right now... talking to you is like talking to a brick wall—utterly meaningless. Once my strength is sufficient, I'll use my broadsword to make you agree!" "..." The surrounding Sovereigns held their breath. Damn, you are way too arrogant. That's Sovereign Huntian! You dare be so insolent before him? The only ninth-rank Sovereign in the Chaos! Sovereign Huntian was not angered, laughing softly: "Indeed, so... doesn't it still come down to strength?" This time, the Human King nodded: "Right, exactly! Strength is primary, words secondary, but one must possess spirit and drive. Without that spirit, even if you are peerlessly talented and unmatched under heaven, in my eyes... you are nothing!" He seemed to speak to someone, yet also shared his insights, laughing: "Living in this world, there will always be things you cannot let go of. So... make it lively! Live each day brilliantly, blooming with brilliance, letting the Chaos remember you, letting the world never forget you, making your enemies fear you, making your friends cherish you! Making everyone... willing to... cheer for you!" With those words, a roar erupted instantly: "The Human King is peerless! All hail the Human King!" "..." Damn! At this moment, it was not just a headache, but... genuine wariness. Madmen! The world of Neo Martial was full of madmen, and the Human King was far too persuasive—it was almost as if Neo Martial had been brainwashed by him. In such a setting, with ten thousand Sovereigns gathered and Chaos overlords assembled, these Neo Martial lunatics still cheered wildly for the Human King! They truly believed the Human King was invincible between heaven and earth! Such a group of madmen, once backed by sufficient strength, would certainly be terrifying. Long Zhan and the others felt both wary and envious. Though it seemed... naive. Truthfully, would their subordinates dare speak out in such a situation? Probably not. Long Zhan glanced at some of the Chaos beasts, sighing internally. His Chaos race had plenty of experts, but their spirit had never ignited to the extreme. Fighting for the race was, to some Chaos beasts, merely an empty slogan. At this moment, he genuinely wanted to have a deep conversation with the Human King. Truly. Long Zhan felt he could converse with the Human King for days, wanting to understand how Neo Martial had risen at an extraordinary speed from adversity with everyone in tow. How did they do it? All of this was worth learning. He realized he had underestimated the Human King. Previously, he thought him reckless, lucky, and decently strong, but today he understood the Human King achieved this through more than that: he had conviction, passion, impulse, decisiveness to act, unyielding perseverance, and courage in the face of hardship... How could such a man not succeed? ... In the dark, Li Hao listened intently as well. This was the purpose of establishing the Dao arena—not merely the Dao, but the convictions, character, and perseverance of those experts... The Human King was barely a thousand years old. In the Chaos, he was remarkably young. Li Hao had once considered him childish and immature, but today his perspective shifted. It was not immaturity, but rather... the Human King had kept the passion of his youth intact, never letting it fade! Being passionate for a moment was easy; staying passionate for a lifetime was profoundly difficult. Having triumphed in the war of words, the Human King laughed heartily in great satisfaction: "All right, no need to feel inferior, everyone! Walk the Dao Chessboard with me. Whoever takes first won't compare to me taking first! How about we place a little wager?" Sovereign Huntian did not care to respond, but Long Zhan chimed in: "What wager?" The Human King smiled; having someone respond was all he needed. He laughed: "The few of us will walk together for fun. Whoever takes first, the others pay the winner... ten billion Great Dao crystals each! Just a small wager for fun!" "..." Everyone was speechless. Are you serious? You are the weakest, yet you want to bet on this? What does that mean? Are you certain you'll take first? Or... Sovereign Chunqiu giggled: "Did Dao Chess give you special privileges?" "Otherwise, why are you so confident? Ten billion is trivial to us, but to you... Neo Martial rose only recently; do you even have that much?" The Human King laughed: "What do you know? If I lose, it's just ten billion! If I win... one, two, three—thirty billion! A three-hundred-percent return. As the saying goes, a hundred percent profit makes men court death; a three-hundred-percent profit is enough for me to act as your hired thug!" He laughed again: "Li Hao, care to join in? We'll include you; otherwise, it's hard to gauge your skill. You told people to walk eight thousand squares to debate the Dao with you, but if you can't reach it yourself, what Dao are you debating? What qualifications do you have to debate the Dao? We'll let you play... If you win, that's forty billion Great Dao crystals! Since Chunqiu is so wealthy, why not add another ten billion to show some sincerity? Huntian is a ninth rank, why not add ten billion as well? Long Zhan... forget it, you're broke as well, penniless. Our Eastern trio is relatively poor... not as wealthy as you. Pity the coward from the Five Elements World didn't show up, otherwise..." At these words, Li Hao stepped out of the void with a chuckle: "In truth, I haven't walked the Dao Chessboard in a long time and haven't tested myself. If Senior Human King is interested... I don't mind. However, a stake of ten billion..." Li Hao smiled faintly: "I don't have that right now; I am rather impoverished. How about this: if I lose and fail to take first, whoever wins first place may personally experience Time... By experience, I mean... touching and probing it." The Human King clicked his tongue: "Good heavens! For a few tens of billions of Great Dao crystals, you're really going all out! Aren't you afraid these fellows will shatter your Dao?" "Not afraid," Li Hao said with a smile. "They are all senior experts. I, Li Hao, am merely a youth under thirty years old. Who would disgrace themselves before a junior?" "..." The Human King cursed inwardly! Fuck! That was his signature line! In the past, he could say that before countless people, and even now, if Li Hao had not come, he could have said it. But Li Hao had stolen his line! Infuriating! I tried to pull you in when there were benefits, and now you suppress me along with them! Outrageous! The other Sovereigns were at a loss for words. Were ten billion Great Dao crystals a lot? To overlords, not much. To Long Zhan... it was decent, slightly high, but having seized the Four Regions with countless worlds offering tribute, he was not truly that poor now. Even these two weaker figures dared to wager—it was merely a small diversion! Daoist Huntian smiled: "I have no objection. Then I shall put up twenty billion as a prize! Chunqiu, what about you?" Sovereign Chunqiu giggled: "What objection could I have? The Human King grouped me with Huntian, meaning he considers our strength comparable. I am quite pleased; putting up an extra ten billion is of no consequence!" Long Zhan chuckled wryly: "Then I won't compete with the two of them—ten billion for me. The Human King and the Silver Moon King are both shrewd devils; if I lose it, that would be quite a loss." The five cultivators now bantered pleasantly like old friends, enjoying their light wager. Below, the Sovereigns watched with immense envy and bewilderment. Weren't these people... enemies? Furthermore, anticipation surged: how far could these figures walk? Countless eighth-rank Sovereigns had failed to reach eight thousand squares; could they? Even if they could, who would take first place? Expectation ran high. Li Hao looked toward the Human King, who grinned back, winking playfully. Not a trace of a senior expert remained, nor was there any of the solemnity from his speech about the Martial Dao contending. Li Hao felt helpless. One truly did not know what to make of this man. Yet at this moment, a competitive spark had been ignited within Li Hao. When it came to stirring people up, the Human King truly had a knack for it!